The invention relates to an accommodating head for a tool with an actuating tip which pivots to the element receiving the actuating tip.
Tools with a slot-type tip or polygonal tip are known. They serve for rotating fastening elements, in particular screws. The actuating tip here is designed, depending on the accommodating contour on the fastening element, as a correspondingly shaped slot-type actuating tip, in particular a cross-slot-type actuating tip. Examples of the polygonal actuating tips are so-called socket actuating or Torx actuating tips. When use is made of these tools or actuating tools with these actuating tips, it is not always ensured, in particular in the case of hand-actuated or hand-guided actuating tools, that the longitudinal axis of the actuating tool is in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the fastening element, that is to say, for example of the screw. In the case of a torque transmission from the actuating trip to the screw, a skewed position of the actuating tool may thus result in the actuating tip being forced out of the corresponding accommodating contour on the screw. This may result in damage to the screw head, with the result that subsequent operations for tightening or releasing the screw are not possible. The actuating tools are either hand-actuated tools, for example screwdrivers or the like, or hand-guided tools with a drive motor, in particular battery-powered screwdrivers. Provision may be made for the screwdriver to be formed integrally with the actuating tip. It is also possible, however, to provide on the screwdriver an accommodating head into which the actuating tip can be plugged. In this case, the accommodating head is designed, in particular, as a so-called bit mount and the actuating tip is designed as a bit. Such a configuration may also be provided in the case of the hand-guided actuating tools.
The abovementioned type of accommodating head for a tool with a slot-type or polygonal actuating tip has a drive element and an output element, it being possible for a torque to be introduced into the drive element, and the actuating tip being arranged in the output element. The rotational forces applied by the actuating tool are introduced into the drive element, with the result that, on the output side, the actuating tip can be subjected to a torque in order for it to be possible for the fastening element to be screwed into a mount or unscrewed therefrom. The tool which has the actuating tip may be mounted pivotably in the output element. It is thus possible to ensure, even in the case of a skewed position of the actuating tool in relation to the fastening element, that the actuating tip engages in a mount of the fastening element, such that the longitudinal center axes of the actuating tips and of the fastening element are in alignment with one another. The disadvantage here is that, with the actuating tip pivoted, a tilting moment is produced on account of the axial force which is to be applied to the actuating tool when the fastening element is screwed in or unscrewed, it being possible for said tilting moment to result in the actuating tip slipping out of the cutout on the fastening element.
The object of the invention is to specify an accommodating head for a tool with an actuating tip in which there is at least a reduction in the risk of the tool being forced out of the fastening element in the case of an alignment error of the longitudinal center axes of the accommodating head and of the fastening element.
This object is achieved by an accommodating head which has the features specified in claim 1. The accommodating head serves for accommodating a tool with an actuating tip, for example, a slot-type or polygonal actuating tip. The accommodating head has a drive element and an output element, it being possible for a torque to be introduced into the drive element by means of an actuating tool. The tool which has the actuating tip is arranged in a rotationally fixed and pivotably mounted manner in the output element. Suitable torque-transmission means are provided between the output element and the actuating tip in order for it to be possible for the torque applied by the actuating tool to be introduced into the actuating tip. The accommodating head is distinguished in that, in the case of a torque transmission from the actuating tip to the fastening element, the distance between the pivot axis of the actuating tip in the output element and the fastening element is small enough for the line of action of a force running along a longitudinal center axis of the output element or of the accommodating head to intersect the fastening element even in each pivot end position of the actuating tip, that is to say that, in this position of the actuating tip, the line of action runs through the fastening element. With the actuating tip plugged into the corresponding cutout on the fastening element, the pivot axis of said actuating tip is arranged at a very small distance from the fastening element, for example, the head of a screw, in which the cutout for accommodating the actuating tip is located. Since, on account of the configuration of the accommodating head according to the invention, the axial force which is applied to the actuating tool when the fastening element is screwed in and unscrewed, and acts in the direction of the longitudinal center axis of the output element, is always introduced into the fastening element in each pivot position of the actuating tip, it is ensured that the actuating tip is forced into the cutout on the fastening element and a tilting moment is not producedxe2x80x94as in the case of known accommodating headsxe2x80x94it being possible for said tilting moment to result in the actuating tip being forced out of the cutout.
The accommodating head according to the invention makes it possible for the actuating tip to be arranged or plugged in an accurately fitting manner in the corresponding cutout on the fastening element although the actuating tool provided for the torque application can be pivoted within an admissible range.
Another advantageous factor with the pivot mounting of the actuating tip is that it is possible to screw in or unscrew even poorly accessible screws located, for example, behind an obstruction. It is also advantageous here that there is no narrowing in the region of the actuating tip, as is albeit necessary in the case of spherical-head hexagon wrenches in order to allow pivoting of the spherical-head hexagon wrench relative to the fastening element. The weak point of the narrowing is done away with in the case of the tool according to the invention. This makes it possible for the torque which is to be transmitted to be very large in the case of the tool according to the invention.
On account of the pivotable mounting of the actuating tip, it is also possible for latter to be designed as a special profile, for example XZN, TorxPlus, TorxTR, TriWing, Torq, etc., in the case of which pivot mounting has not been known at all up until now. It is also advantageous that the multi-part construction allows optimal selection of the materials used for the accommodating head and the actuating tip. It is thus possible, for example, in a particularly advantageous configuration, for the actuating tip to be produced from a very high-grade material, such as solid hard metal, ceramic material or coated steel, whereas the accommodating head could be produced from some other, less expensive material. It is thus nevertheless possible for a high-grade actuating tool to be produced cost-effectively.
A preferred exemplary embodiment is distinguished in that, at its output end, the actuating tip has a sphere section which is mounted pivotably in a sphere-section mount formed on the output element. The ability of the actuating tip to pivot may thus be realized easily and cost-effectively.
A particularly advantageous exemplary embodiment of the accommodating head provides that the distance X between the pivot axis of the tool/of the actuating tip in the output element and the fastening element is equal to or smaller than the radius of the sphere section. The tool is thus only of short length.
A preferred exemplary embodiment is one in which the sphere section of the actuating tip is retained in captive fashion in the sphere-section mount of the accommodating head. This may be achieved, for example, by a rear-engagement means which grips round the sphere section such that the latter cannot slip out of the sphere-section mount. This may be achieved, for example, in that the edges of the sphere-section mount are deformed following insertion of the sphere section.
In a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment, first and second torque-transmission means are provided between the output element and the tool, the first torque-transmission means being formed by flattened regions on the outer surface of the sphere section. The sphere section is thus realized as a polygonal-sphere section. The second torque-transmission means are formed in that the sphere-section mount is a cylindrical cutout which is designed as a polygonal cutout in cross section. The torque transmission may thus take place between the surfaces or walls of the polygonal cutout and the flattened regions on the outer surface of the sphere.
In a preferred exemplary embodiment the slot-type or polygonal actuating tip directly adjoins the cut surface of the sphere section. xe2x80x9cCut surfacexe2x80x9d is to be understood here as meaning the flattened portion, that is to say the planar surface, of the sphere section. The actuating tip is, as it were, positioned on said flattened portion or juts out from the same. The important factor is for the point of rotation or the pivot axis of the actuating tip to be located at only a very small distance from the fastening element which is to be screwed in or unscrewed. This reduces the risk of a tilting moment being produced in the case of a non-axially-introduced force, where a tilting moment could result in the actuating tip slipping out of the fastening element. By virtue of this arrangement, the pivot mounting according to the invention also differs considerably from a universal joint known per se.
In a preferred exemplary embodiment, a pivoting-angle-limiting means is formed between the actuating tip and the accommodating head and is preferably formed by a pivoting-angle-limiting projection extending from the outer surface of the sphere section, said projection extending from the outer surface of the sphere in the opposite direction to the slot-type or polygonal actuating tip. With a corresponding pivoting angle between the actuating tip and accommodating head, the pivoting-angle-limiting projection comes into contact with the inner wall of the sphere section mount and thus limits the pivoting angle in a straightforward manner. This also, however, prevents the actuating tool from tilting excessively, since the pivoting angle cannot become inadmissibly large. Furthermorexe2x80x94starting from a preferred starting positionxe2x80x94the at least one pivot end position of the actuating tip is established or defined.
In a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment, a pivot-restoring element is formed between the actuating tip and the output element. When the actuating tip is not subjected to loading, it may thus be pivoted back into its starting position. In this case, the center longitudinal axis of the actuating tip is in alignment with the center longitudinal axis of the accommodating head or of the output element.
For the pivot restoring element, use is preferably made of an elastic element which acts on the pivoting-angle-limiting projection on the sphere section. This means that the actuating tip can easily be restored into its starting position.
In one exemplary embodiment, the drive element is defined as a shank mount in which the shank of a drive device of an actuating tool engages. Of course, however, it is also possible for the accommodating head and the shank of the drive device of the actuating tool to be formed in one piece.
In another exemplary embodiment, the shank mount and the shank of the actuating tool are fixed to one another. In a further exemplary embodiment, the shank mount may be designed as a plug-connection mount which accommodates the shank of the drive device in a releasable manner. The accommodating head may thus also be designed for plug connection, with the result that different accommodating heads with different actuating tips can be used with a single shank or a single drive device. As a result, the accommodating head and the actuating tip form a structural unit, which, in turn, may be provided as a so-called bit.
A particularly preferred exemplary embodiment is the one in which the shank mount and the sphere-section mount are formed in a sleeve. The shank thus engages in one end of the sleeve, and the actuating tip is plugged into the other end of the sleeve.
A preferred exemplary embodiment is one in which the sphere-section mount and the shank mount are formed in the sleeve by a through-passage in the sleeve, the through-passage having a polygonal cross section. The number of edges of the polygonal cross section, however, may differ between the sphere-section mount and the shank mount.
Also preferred is an exemplary embodiment in which the shank of the drive element has a cutout which extends in the axial direction of the shank and in which the pivoting-angle-limiting projection engages. By virtue of the selection of the cross section of this cutout, which may, for example, be smaller than that of the cutout for the actuating tip, it is possible for the pivoting-angle range to be adjusted correspondingly since, depending on the extent of the cutout, the pivoting-angle-limiting projection comes into contact with the wall of the cutout with a larger or smaller pivoting angle of the actuating tip.
Further configurations can be gathered from the subclaims.
The subject matter of the invention also relates to a hand-actuatable or hand-guided turning tool which comprises an accommodating head for accommodating a tool which has an actuating tip.